Stocks across Europe dived into the weekend

Reuters/Tony Gentile Stocks all over Europe dived Friday, as markets took a cautious approach and investors took profit after US stocks hit record highs Thursday evening.

"A risk-off tone took hold at the end of the week with investors fleeing stocks and seeking the safety of gold. A stunning 10-day run of record closes in the Dow Jones was probably a cue in itself for global markets to give a little back. The last time the Dow had such a winning streak was 1987, the year that saw Black Monday, the biggest one-day market crash in history," Jasper Lawler from London Capital Group wrote in an email earlier in the afternoon.

By mid-afternoon most major bourses across the continent were lower by more than 1%, and while the majority pulled a little higher into the close, losses were still substantial

Germany's DAX led the way, down more than 1.2%. All but three of the country's top 30 stocks dropped on Friday, with its second largest bank, Commerzbank, one of the bigger losers, down 2.92%.